Can a U.S. Citizen Sponsor Brother?

If you’re a current United States citizen, but have brothers or sisters with citizenships in other countries, you may be curious how you can get them over to the United States permanently. If you’re a citizen, and over the age of 21, it is possible to sponsor your siblings and help them get green cards through the USCIS, or United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. However, there tends to be a long waiting period and copious amounts of paperwork needed for the application process to be completed.

How to Apply for a Green Card for Sisters and Brothers

If you meet the conditions listed above and want to move forward sponsoring your sibling,

follow these steps:

1. First, you’ll need to fill out Form I-130, otherwise known as the Petition for Alien Relative. This form will ask for information about the sibling you’re trying to sponsor. Ensure all information is correct on this form.

2. Next, you’ll need to show documentation that you’re related to your sibling. Typically this means that you’ll need to include a copy of your birth certificate and your sibling’s birth certificate to prove that there is a parental relation between you both.

3. Finally, you’ll need to prove that you’re a citizen of the United States. This can be done in many ways such as through a copy of your birth certificate, passport, certificate of citizenship, or naturalization certificate.

It’s important to note that if you have a sibling through stepparents, adoption, or have different mothers, you’ll need to supply additional information to complete your application. Examples of materials you might need could include adoption decrees, marriage separations, or certificates depending on the situation. If you’re trying to sponsor distant relatives, such as your grandparents, cousins, aunts, or uncles, you’re unable to use your citizenship status to help them get a green card.

If you miss any type of paperwork, you’ll need to re-file your petition. Immigration lawyers are skilled at helping you achieve a successful outcome during your application process. They know how to take care of all your paperwork, so you don’t need to worry that you’re missing something. This is imperative to ensure you’re not wasting any time or money.

How Long Will My Application Take?

Unfortunately, the process is very lengthy to obtain a green card for your sibling because of the current U.S. immigration laws put in place. Essentially, there is a limit on how many people can immigrate to the United States via the sibling category. Once they reach their maximum number of yearly immigrants, the cases get pushed to the following year. Right now, there are over 68,000 applications for sibling green cards, which translates to a waiting line of over 13 years long. If you’ve already sent in your application and want to see the status of your case, you can use the Online Case Status page. All you need to do is input your receipt number to learn more about your application status.